Friday, July 06, 2007 Economists to focus on broad-based development
* 45th Philippine Economic Society sets annual meet
THE leading economists in the country will meet on November 15 and 16 at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Philippine Economic Society (PES), with the theme "Accelerating and Sustaining Economic Growth Towards Broad-based Development."
The Philippine economy has been growing moderately over the past five years. However, this economic expansion has been limited to a few sectors and the benefits of such growth have not been felt by the majority of the citizenry. While the financial sector has consistently shown bright indicators, low investments, high unemployment and underemployment rates hound the real economy.
What else should be done to propel the economy towards a higher growth path? What measures should be done to improve the quality of growth towards increasing employment and a more broad-based development? What reforms must be pushed to improve the quality of life of Filipinos and reduce the poor and hungry in the country?
These are some of the issues and questions that will be discussed in detail at the plenary panel discussions as well as the parallel sessions that will be held over the two-day meeting. As in the previous years, the highlight of the meeting is expected to the Fearless Forecast for 2008, to be made by a panel of leading economists from various forecasting agencies.
Dr. Fernando Aldaba, chairman of the economics department of the Ateneo de Manila University, and head of the PES organizing committee, is also issuing a call for papers to be read at the meeting. Deadline for submission of abstracts is August 31; papers are due on September 30. Guidelines may be downloaded from the PES website, www.phileconsociety.org. Economists and professionals in allied sciences and business fields are welcome to participate in the annual meeting.
The Philippine Economic Society (PES) was established in August 1962 as a non-stock, non-profit professional organization of economists. Over the years, the Society has served as one of the strongest networks of economists in the academe, government, and business sector. Recognized in the international community of professional economic associations and a founding member of the Federation of ASEAN Economic Associations (FAEA), the PES is truly a significant national and international institution. The PES continuously provides a venue for open and free discussions of a wide range of policy issues through its conferences and symposia.
Through its journal, the Philippine Review of Economics, which it jointly publishes with the UP School of Economics, the Society performs a major role in improving the standard of economic research in the country and in disseminating new research findings.
Economists, professionals, and development practitioners, as well as college and graduate students majoring in economics are welcome to attend the 45th PES Annual Meeting. For more details, visit www.phileconsociety.org or call the PES Secretariat at 926.4615 and conference organizer ADBM Resources at 920.6944. (Press release)
